Adam Desjardins a student at the University of Maine and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. He is currently studying abroad with ISA in Townsville, Australia.
While abroad, I’m happy to say I’ve been lucky enough to go to some amazing places and see some views I never thought would’ve been possible. These pictures are just are an attempt to share the beauty of the South Island of New Zealand and Sydney, Australia. No matter how much I practice my hobby of photography, I would never be able to truly show these places’ beauty as seen with my own eyes.
Before taking off to New Zealand we had an over night layover in Sydney, Australia. We made sure to take full advantage of it and get down to the iconic Sydney Opera House for the sunset.
Once the sun set under the horizon the skyscrapers began to light up, this was my first time practicing with long exposure photography and I was quite happy with how they turned out.
This was one of our first stops in New Zealand, it was the morning after landing in Queenstown. We drove the previous night several hours to make it a shorter ride in the morning to Milford Sound. We woke up a little bit before sunrise and remembered a sign we drove by not too far down the road labeled “Mirror Lakes” and figured that might be a good spot to catch a sunrise. We were right.
On the way to Milford Sound after watching the breathtaking sunrise at the Mirror Lakes, we stopped for a photo break as we were going through a valley with mountains towering over us in all directions.
Before taking this picture I just sat down and stared at the landscape. This was a place I had been dreaming of going to, I couldn’t believe Mitre Peak (tallest mountain on the left of the picture) was just in front of me and I was in a spot I had only seen on Instagram. This was my favorite spot in all of New Zealand!
After spending the whole day in Milford Sound just exploring and on a cruise through the sound I couldn’t leave without seeing the sunset past Mitre Peak. I got eaten alive be the sand flies while trying to get this shot but it was all worth it.
We had just spent the afternoon in Queenstown and were heading to our next campsite. Just past Glenorchy was this amazing view, and I thought it explained New Zealand perfectly: vast sheep lands with snow-capped mountains in the distance.
This trip was a great experience for my photography skills, I practiced a few different styles and this was my first time photographing the night sky. While setting up the camp in Kinloch, a short drive from Glenorchy, the Milky Way was the most visible I’ve ever seen it. There was no light pollution in any direction you looked, we were just surrounded by nature and it was one of the most calming feelings.
This is the most photographed tree in New Zealand. Normally the tree’s trunk is submerged under the lake which gives its popularity; however, I was still happy with the view I got. I was also very surprised with how many people lined up next to me with their cameras strapped to their tripod waiting for the sunset to light the sky behind the tree.
Our last day in New Zealand. This trip was one filled with amazing views and breath-taking sunrises and sunsets. Climbing out of the tent to this sunrise at our campsite near Queenstown was just the icing on the cake.
While abroad, you are indeed there to study, but you’re also in another country with the opportunity to have experiences you couldn’t back home. Take advantage of those and just get out and explore!
The world awaits…discover it.